In Sickness
by ava-bell-yan
Summary: When Sam gets sick and Dean is at a loss of what to do Castiel steps in. What happens when it turns out there is more than meets the eye? Will Sam finally come to his senses and realize what he needs?
1. Illness

**Part One: Illness**

Sam turned over in his bed with a groan. His stomach was churning and he swore that there was something trying to claw its way out of him. He curled an arm around his torso and hid his face in the pillow. The door opened and closed after a pause, he could tell it was Dean in the way that the footsteps fell on the floor. He thought it was weird that he had even memorized his brother's walk.

"Still alive there, Sammy?" Dean asked setting the bags he had in his hands on the table near the window.

All Sam could do was groan, for fear that he might lose the contents in his stomach again.

"Good to hear," Dean dug around in one of the bags. "I got you something." He said opening the bottle and pouring it into a plastic cup.

"What is it?" Sam asked moving his face out of the pillow to squint at his brother.

"Ginger ale, your favorite." Dean said and held the cup out to Sam offering a small dance that brought a small to his sick brother's lips.

"Thanks." Sam answered pushing himself up into the sitting position, swaying as he did so.

Dean's face scrunched up in concern as he got closer to his brother. He reached out and held Sam with one arm around his back as the other helped Sam drink. When Sam was finished he set the now empty cup in the night stand and gently laid his younger brother down against the pillows. Bringing up the duvet to Sam's shoulders Dean watched as he instantly fell back asleep.

Sam had been sick before, but nothing like this. To be honest, Dean had no idea what he was doing. Getting sick was never an option for the Winchesters and if it happened they still went on. No questions asked but Sam couldn't even get out of bed. Running his finger's through his already mussed hair, Dean let out a sigh. They didn't have time for this and he needed help.

It was late, the sun had been down for hours and Dean hadn't slept since Sam got sick. His instincts kicking in, needing to help Sam get better. Stepping back outside into the night's cold harsh air he looked up. He's done this multiple times before, but this time was different. It was the first time he was asking for help that wasn't for himself. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, considering the progression in Sam's relationship with Castiel. Who knew that the Angel would take such a liking to Sammy?

Clearing his throat he looked down at his hands then back up into the almost black sky.

"Cas? Look man, sorry to bother you and all but...It's Sam. He's-" Dean started but was interrupted when the angel appeared right in front of him.

"What has happened?" Castiel's rough voice sounded louder than usual in the still night and it took all Dean had not to scream like a little girl. He hadn't expected Cas to answer right away.

"Sam's got a pretty nasty bug. He ate some bad sushi or something but he's pretty sick." Dean said giving Cas a serious look.

"You don't think this is normal? Sam is human." Cas tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Sam never gets sick and when he does it's not that bad. Considering the guy eats nothing but rabbit food I'm surprised he gets sick at all." Dean scoffed.

"This is concerning." Cas said repositioning his head and relaxing his shoulders. "Take me to him." His voice was commanding and it rung with authority that even Dean wouldn't ignore.

Dean scratched the back of his head and turned around towards the hotel room. He opened the door for Cas and closed it behind himself as he walked in after the angel. Sweat started to gather at his palms and he wiped it on his jean clad thighs as he approached Castiel next to Sam's bed.

"How long has he been like this?" The angel asked with a glance to Dean.

"Two days, and his fever still hasn't broken." Dean said rubbing his face in worry. "If we don't get his temperature down he'll end up in the hospital."

Castiel walked around the bed over to where Sam's head was closest to the end. He knelt down, becoming eye level with the sweating Winchester. His left hand came out in front of him and smoothed the furrowed brow of his human. His fingers brushed over the crease that brought Sam's eyebrows together, smoothing it out gently and traveling down his nose. Almost reverently, his fingers traced over Sam's lips and then down his neck. He could feel the tension starting to leave Sam's body and as his hands went over Sam's shoulder and down his side he paused. The angel's lips turned into a frown and his eyes met Dean's. Who until that moment stood with his arms crossed watching the scene unfold with concentration of a Hawk. Uncrossing his arms and coming to Castiel's side he shook with anxiety.

"What is it?" Dean asked as Cas stood up.

"This is no human illness." Cas replied bringing his hand back to his side, his fist now clenched.

"Then what the hell is it?" Dean asked his eyes going wide.

"I don't know." Cas turned his head to meet Dean's gaze. Worry and panic swam in his blue eyes and Dean moved his hands up to rest on the back of his head, taking a deep breath.

"Then what do we do?" Dean asked.

**This is my first Sassy fic. **

**I hope you guys like it!**

**For Devaun 3**


	2. The Wall

**The Wall:**

Dean sat at the table near Sam's bed, his right elbow resting against the wooden surface. His forehead was nestled into his right hand as he bit his lower lip in thought. It had only been two months since Sammy had come back from the pit. They had taken jobs here and there and with the "Mother" being let out their world seemed to have turned upside down once again. His mind started racing, when had Sam even gotten sick? Dean hadn't noticed anything was wrong until he found his brother on the bathroom floor exactly four days before.

They had just finished a case in Colorado Springs where a group of teenage girls had been playing with witchcraft. Turns out the one of them had been into the black magics for quite sometime and Dean had to admit that she got them pretty bad. That was a little over a week ago. Now they were in Missouri there were rumors of a haunted Art Museum but Sam got sick just as things started to get interesting.

"Dean?" Sam's gruff voice sounded from beneath the blankets.

"Yea, Sammy?" Dean rushed to his brother's side.

"Dean, I'm freezing. Can you get me some more blankets?" Sam asked trying to burrow deeper into the mattress.

"You have a fever, Sam." Dean said, truth was Sam already had every blanket in the room covering him.

There wasn't a response from the younger Winchester because he had fallen back asleep. Dean was at a loss. Sam could barely stay awake for minutes at a time and his fever wasn't getting any better. Frustration settled in his gut and Dean felt helpless. He didn't know what to do and Cas had left promising to return but that had been hours ago. Dean recalled the conversation that he had with Cas the night before.

"Do you think that those Witches have something to do with Sam being sick?" Dean asked the angel hopefully. "You know how Witches can be, with all their spells and unsanitary practices." He swung his right arm in front of him while the other rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's a possibility. Although, I do not see how it is possible."Cas paced at the end of Sam's bed. His gaze falling on the younger Winchester with every turn.

"What else could it be, Cas?" Dean asked in desperation, wanting anything more than to avoid what was on the forefront of their minds.

"We have to consider that Sam has scratched the wall or in any case put some what of a dent in it." Cas said pausing in his pacing to look at Sam then back to Dean.

Presently, tears welled up in Dean's eyes just at the very thought. If Sam scratches the wall then everything they had worked for was for nothing. Then that means that Dean really had killed his brother, that means that he made a mistake. That means that he would be alone and that means he would never be able to face Cas or Bobby ever again. This was all his fault, he had to bring Sam back he couldn't just leave him in there with Michael and Lucifer. Falling to his knees by Sam's bed he buried his face in the blankets near his brother's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I've tried everything. I just don't know what to do." Dean's throat swelled with emotion as he spoke aloud to his unconscious brother.

Helplessness took over him and his frustration began to build. Taking a moment to compose himself Dean stood up and reached for his cell phone. There was no way he was going to let Sammy get any worse, so he made a phone call to the only person he knew that could actually help.

"Bobby, tell me. What do you know about fevers?" Dean asked turning away from his brother.

"Fevers? What about them?" Bobby's voice sounded over the phone.

"Well, how would you get rid of one?" Dean asked.

"Uh, well let's see. What I know is that a fever mainly goes away on its own but if your temperature gets too high they put you in an ice bath." Bobby answered. "Why do you need to know about fevers?" He persisted.

"Thanks Bobby. I'll call of I need your help." Dean said hanging up the phone.

–

Sam was drowning or he thought he was. It was hot and wet, his lungs burned like fire. He felt as if layer after layer of his skin was being slowly peeled off and he couldn't cry out it hurt to much. It was dark but he wasn't alone, there was somebody there with him or somebodies.

He was naked and the skin on his thighs was missing, he knew that much. He could open his eyes, he wasn't even sure he still had eyes. He remembered being here before, this wasn't knew. He'd been through this. It all felt too familiar.

Then a voice sounded out about that pain, it brought him out and forced him to focus. That's when he cried out in agony. A scream that seemed foreign to him, one that was horse and filled with so much vulgarity. He tried to listen to the voice surrounding him but he couldn't. All he could feel was his skinless thighs and empty eye sockets. He had no eyes, he was sure of that. He wasn't even sure if he still have arms or feet.

The voice grew louder, harsher. He heard his name, he swore he heard his name and it wasn't until something grabbed his arm that he realized he really had no skin at all. Something pulled at him, then a push and then he felt weightless.

Then nothing at all.

–

Dean grunted as he tried to haul his brother out of bed. The fact that Sam was much bigger than him wasn't helping and with all the dead weight this younger Winchester was twice as heavy. Sweat gathered at his brow at his efforts until suddenly the weight seemed to be lifted. Looking over Cas was on the other side of Sam helping Dean carry him into the cheap motel bathroom.

"What is the purpose of this?" Cas asked as they sat Sam down on the floor back against the bathtub and head rolling to his chest.

"His fever wont go away on it's own. I'm forcing it to." Dean answered as he began to rid his brother of his shirt.

Behind Sam the tub was filled nearly to the rim with water and ice. Castiel looked down at Dean who finished getting Sam's shirt off but decided to leave his pants on as he tried to lift his brother once again. With the help of Cas they were able to slow put Sam in the water. There was no change in his condition, at leas not immediately.

Give or take thirty seconds, according to Dean at least, Sam jumped in surprise at the sudden temperature change. He was no longer hot and he was no longer in pain, he was alive. Looking between Dean and Cas who each held the same looks of concern. His brow furrowed in confusion. Why was he here? He didn't understand.

"You're staying in there until your fever goes down. Cas and I have some...research to do." Dean said avoiding his brother's eyes for a split second.

"Dean is right. We must know what is making you so ill." Cas said with a nod of his head and an intense look at Sam.

"What are you talking about? There isn't anything wrong with me. I've had the flu. That's not a big deal." Sam argued splashing water as he gestured with his arms.

"Sam, you must listen when I tell you that you have no human disease. This goes far beyond anything I have ever encountered." Cas said.

"Listen to Cas, Sammy. He knows what he's talking about." Dean asked with pleading eyes. "Ten minutes then we'll get you out."

"Yea, alright. Ten minutes." Sam shrugged and Dean left the room.

"Sam, you have to know that I will do anything to cure you." Cas said kneeling down by the bathtub.

"I know that, Cas." Sam said not meeting the angel's eyes.

"I'm serious." Cas said with surety that made Sam look at him.

That's when Cas stood and planted a kiss on Sam's temple before leaving the room.


End file.
